Britain’s New 5-Pound Note May Not Be Kosher

Mark Carney’s Beef: Bank of England governor Mark Carney dips his new treyf 5-pound note into food. Image by Getty Images

By Dan Friedman November 30, 2016

It may be “chewable, washable and harder to fake,” but Britain’s new 5-pound note may not be kosher.

Unveiled with a fanfare in September, Britain was excited to follow a number of other Commonwealth countries in using a more durable polymer instead of a traditional cotton base.

But it was revealed today — to the anger of vegans and Hindus especially — that the new notes include beef tallow. Tallow is rendered cooking fat making it abhorrent to vegans, unclean to Hindus and, depending on the process and amounts used, unkosher for Jews.

Sadly, though its relative longevity means it’s better for the environment, cows were definitely hurt in the making of this money.

Dan Friedman is the former executive editor and whisky correspondent of the Forward, and is the author of a book about Tears for Fears, the ’80s emo rock band.

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